Sewing accessory



Feb. 2, 1960 L. D. HOKERK SEWING ACCESSORY Filed Oct. 7, 19 55 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Lynde D. Hokerk JLWMQA/ P371 @1131 Feb. 2, 1960 L. D. HOKERK 2,923,451

SEWING ACCESSORY Filed Oct. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.I2.

INVENTOR. Q Lynde D. Hokerk United States Patent SEWING ACCESSORY Lynde D. Hokerk, Utica, NY.

Application October 7, 1955, Serial No. 539,066

15 Claims. (Cl. 225-37) This invention relates to improvements in devices for use by seamstresses in connection with sewing jobs and is directed particularly to an improved accessory in the form of a box within which to keep all of the various items which are required in sewing. 1

It is well known,-of course, that sewing boxes have long been in use, in which to keep scissors, needles, pins, spools of thread, measuring tapes and all of the many other items which are needed in connection with sewing. Such devices, however, are not designed with any particular idea of keeping the'various articles in a pre scribed or prearranged manner therein so as to be easily accessible to thesewer. This applies particularly to the matter of keeping spools of thread in such boxes or receptacles. Ordinarily these spools of thread are dropped in in a more or less careless manner and when a thread of a particular size or threads of desired colors are required, the sewer usually has to hunt through a mess of spools and other articles until the desired spool is found. Also it is diflicult in keeping spools of thread in ordinary sewing boxes so as to prevent the thread from becoming unwound. Thread spools are usually formed of wood and it is customary to form in the flange on one end a notch or slit in which the free end of the thread should be caught so as to prevent the thread from unwinding but this is not always done or convenient for the sewer or, if it is done, the movement of the various items around in the box will cause the thread to become detached and the whole box becomes very disorderly and disorganized.

A particular object of the present invention, in view of the foregoing, is to provide a new and novel sewing accessory in the form of a box or receptacle which is so designed that the various and numerous items required for use by a sewer or steamstress may be kept arranged in orderly fashion so that no difiiculty will be encountered or time be lost in finding the articles as they are required for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved sewing box or sewing accessory wherein a means is provided for maintaining a relatively large number of spools of thread in spaced orderly relation whereby any one of the spools may be easily and quickly identified and the thread of the identified 'or selected spool can be readily grasped and drawn oil to the length desired for use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a sewing accessory of the character stated, a means for maintaining a number of spools of thread in a spaced orderly arrangement together with a novel means associated witheach spool whereby the thread thereof will have its freeend held in position where the sewer can easily and quickly pick it up and draw off through a guide means the-length desired and then effect the separation of the selected length from that remaining on the spool.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sewing accessoryor sewingbox having a compartment in which to keep a number of spools of thread with 1 means in the compartment for rotatably supporting the spools in upright position and for also providing in acsociation with each spool of thread on a support, a guide means through which the end of the thread can be drawn, with a novel device for attaching the thread after the desired length has been drawn off from the spool so that after such selected or desired length has been obtained and severed from the remaining'part on the spool a free or tail end piece will be retained in a position where it can be conveniently grasped when more thread is desired.

Still another object of the invention is to'provide in connection with an accessory or sewing box having sup porting means therein for spools of thread a novel unit associated with a wall of; the box which provides for each of a number of adjacentspools of thread, a thread guide, a means for temporarily securing the thread after a selected portion has been drawn oil from 'the'spool through the guide and 'a means for severing the drawn ofi or selected length of thread, the said securing means being positioned between the severing means and the guide so that after theselected length of thread has been cut or severed a free end portion will remain attached'fto the securing means to facilitate "the ready selection of in which various items for use in sewing may be kept, V

together with a new and novel means tor-supporting the spools of thread and facilitating a selection, drawing off and cutting of desired lengths of thread from the spools.

The inventionwill be best understood from a;cons'ideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with .the accompanying drawings with the understanding that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the, drawings but may be changed or modified in minor details so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. V V V s l In the drawings: V a Fig. l is a top perspective view of a circulai sewing box and lid therefor, constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. V I V Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. V Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the box, without the cover and before the thread guide, holder and cutter units are placed therein. i

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the thread guide, holder and cutter unit per se, viewed from the inner side.

Fig. 6 is a section taken, onan enlarged scale, substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 5, without the cutter blade in place. i

Fig. 7 is a view looking at the structure of Fig. 6 from the outer side of the unit.

Fig. 8 is a detail section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1, below the lid,

Figs. 12,13, 14 and l5.are single line illustrations of the successive steps in drawing a thread through a guide slot (Fig. 12), securing the thread below a holding butto}; (Fig; ,13), drawing the threadxacross the cutter' blade edgetosever. it (Fig. 14), and finally showing'the .reten tion of a;tail. end of the thread ready to be grasped,.when

'Accordingly, while the description will be applied to a receptacle or :box of circular construction or form, it will be apparent that there is no intentionof limiting the inyention .to this form as above stated.

The-receptacle or box may be formed of any suitable-moldable material, preference being had fora suitis designated 40. The modified portions or areas 39 each lies between the outer ends of a pair of radial walls. For example, the radial walls 27 and 28 are spanned at their outer ends by a modified portion 39 of the wall 23.

The radial walls 29 and 30 are also spanned at their outer ends by a modified wall portion 39 and the radial walls 31 and 32 are spanned at their outer ends by a modified portion 39 of the wall 23L The spacing betweenthe two radial walls 27'and 32 is materially greater than the spacing between the other adjacent ones of the radial walls so that the compartment 33 is the largest of the compartments and the modified portion 40 of the wall 23 is located midway between the outer ends of the radial'walls 27 and 32 as shown. These able weight of plastic preferably a clear or transparent plastic such as Lucite or the. li ke. V t e e The numeral 12 designates the'bottom of theb'ox or receptacle vhich'is circumscribed by the upstanding integrally formed side wall 14, the top edgeof which is 1 turned out slightly forming the thickened lip 16. -At in modified wall portions 39 and 40 are of a prescribed length whereby the hereinafter describedstructure which is associated with each of the modified wall portions serves six spools of thread mounted on the six adjacent spindles 24', in theljmanner hereinafter described.

Each ofjthe modified wall portions-39is formed, as shown in'Fig. 4, -hy shaping the wall 23 toproduce a central relatively wide upstanding tongue 41 and two narrow spaced upstandingtongues 42 at each side thereof.

' Thus there are provided .by this-construction the three up:

tervalsaround the side wall 14- vertical'reinforcingj ribs 18 are formed' extendinggfronrthe'under side of the rib 1 6 downwardly and tapcring off to a thin lower end ;as 1

shown in Fig.2. 1 t v l The wall isslightl ,pin clinedoutwardly so that the inside diameter of thereceptacle is slightly less at the the receptacle from the mold when the receptacle .is formed of plastic or othersuitable moldable material.

' At suitable spaced intervals along a circular path the underside of the bottom 12 is provided with the shallow projections or buttons which form supporting feet for the receptacle as indicated at 22.

Within the circular area defined by the wall 1 4 there inner wall 23 which, as shown, is slightly tapered from the bottom to the top togfacilitate removal of the device fromthe mold, This inner wall 23 forms with the outer wall, in the circular form or embodiment of the invention, a circular spool chamber 24.

Positioned in a circular row centrally between the walls 14 and 23 is a plurality of upstanding spindles or posts 24'. The height ofthese posts is materiallyless than the height'of thetwalls between which they are located and each of these posts is of circular form and, of a suitable diameter to engage in the longitudinal-opening which is 'formed through a thread spool. In the circular form of the invention here illustrated, twenty-four of these posts or spindles are provided and they are suitable spaced so that the spools of thread when placed thereon will not interfere with one another or, in other words, will have some clearance between them.

The numeral 25 designates a second circular wall which lies within the wall 23am which is of materially less diameter than the wall 23. This innermost .wall forms a well 26 in which may be placed a pin cushion or it may be used for holding some other article or anumber of small articles which may be required in'sewing operations.

Extending radially outwardly from the innermost wall 23 are a number of radial walls which connect the wall 25 with the wall 23. While any number of these radial walls may be provided, six thereof are here'illust rated and are designated 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32. These spaced radial walls provide a number of individual compartments designated 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 in which various sewing items such as pins, needles, tape measure, scissors and the like may be kept.

. bottom than at the top. Thisfacilitates the removal of t .40 is formed integral with the bottom 12 the upstandingv The wall 23 is formed with four modified portions or areas, three of which are each designated'39while a fourth wardly opening slots 43iat. each ,side of the widefcentral tongue 41. The height of thewall 23 in :the'modified portions 39 is slightly less than theaheight of theaadjacent portion ofwall 23 of the box, and the slots extend downwardly throughj approximatelyflhalf the. heiglr tv of {the modified portions of the wall 23.

The modified portion 40 of ihciwall 23tisialso formed with theupstandingrelativelywidecentral tongue 44 and l the two upstanding side tongues-45of-materially nan'ower or less width than the tongue 44 thereby also providing t the three slots corresponding to the slots 43. These slots 46 also arejof Ithesamedepth as the slo ts 43 and the top ends of the tongues, and 45lterminate'short 'ofthe.

maximum height of theside wall 14 and the adjacent parts of the inner wall 23. j

The wmodified portion 40. of the wall 23 diifers' frornthe modified wall portions 39 in thatthere'is formed on the bottom 12against the inner side of the wall' 23 and below the outer side of each of. the outermost slots 46, an angled lug 47. These two angled lugs provide slots 48jwhich are directed toward one-another asshown in the top plan view forming Fig. 3 and function to receive and hold in place against the inner sideof the modified portion 40 of the wall 23 the hereinafter described threadguide, jfastener and cutter unit. s

Each of the modified .portionsof the wall 23 has associated therewith a thread guide, securing means and a cutter unit which is generallydesignated .50. Thisunit is the same for each of the modifiedportions of -the wall 23 and, therefore, a description of one-will be seen to apply to all. i i

The unit 50, asshown in Fig.5, comprises a molded strip of material such. as theplastic from which the box may be molded or of .any other material isuitablefor the purpose intended. This strip comprises an elongatelower body portion 51 having the central upwardly extending panel 52 from opposite edges :of which; extend, at the top, the arm. portions 53 each 10f; which tcrminateswin the downwardly extending bill 54. This bill't54 iis spaced from the adjacent edge of 12116193116152 forming a thread guide slot 55 and the lower end of the; bill terminates short of the top edge of the :integral bottom portion 51 forming an entrance 56 to the slot 55.

Positioned outwardly 'f r'ornreach of the thread guide bills 54 arethe two upstanding posts 57 which, as shown.

form an integral'continuation of the top edge of the portio'n 51 of the'unit. Each of these posts' at its upper end guide slots 60 and the .lower end of each bill 59 terminates short of the top edge of the strip portion 51. forming an entrance 61 to the adjacent slot 60. As is shown in (Fig. 5 the back of each post 57 is in spaced relation with a bill 54, the post 57 nearest to the central panel 52 being spaced from the bill 54 and the next and outermost post being spaced from the next inner bill 59, thus providing the entrance spaces 62 leading to the entrances 61 and 56 respectively.

The top edge of the unit 50 carries above each of the thread guide slots 55- and 60 a means for securing a thread after the same has been drawn through a slot from an adjacent spool mounted on a spindle 24 in the manner as hereinafter described. Each of these thread securing means comprises a button 63 which is connected to the top edge of the unit by a short neck portion 64.

The panel 52 has formed, centrally therein an opening 65 and fo'rmed integral with the panel at the top of this opening is a cutter holder which is generally designated 66. This cutter holder comprises a generally triangular body 67 having a thickness approximating thewidth of the opening 65 which, as shown in Fig. 7, is in the form 'of an elongated ellipse and comprises the substantially horizontal top portion 68 and the vertically disposed side portion 69,. The top portion 68 extendsoutwardly from the panel 52 and the side portion 69 depends in spaced relation to the panel, while the part of the body adjacent to the opening 65 is cut to provide or form the inclined face 70. a p

The inclined face 70 of the cutter holder body extends from the top of the opening 65 downwardly and out- Wardly away from the panel portion 52 and at the upper end of this inclined face 70 there is formed a recess ,or cavity 71, see Figs. 6 and '7, the inner end of which is in the form of a relatively narrow slot 72. The opposing side walls of the recess or cavity, which is more or less rectangular in form, are relatively widely spaced and these side walls at the top and bottom of the cavity converge slightly as indicated at 73, to a reduced width which is the same as the width of the slot 72 at the back of the cavity. This cavity 71 is of the proper dimensions to snugly receive a cutting blade 74, see Fig. 8, which is inserted into the cavity through the opening 65.

The cutting blade is steel and is of the same rectangular form or outline as the cavity or recess into which it is inserted, such insertion being effected through the opening 65. The thickness of the blade approximates the width of the slot 72 and of the narrowest part of the space between the convergent portions 73 at the top and bottom of the slot so that the back and top edges particularly of the blade when it is inserted will be snugly engaged and the blade firmly held. When so inserted, as shownin Fig. 8, a portion of, the cutting edge 'will extend across the space between the inclined face 70 and the adjacent side of the panel 52. This exposed edge portion of the blade is designated 74' and it will be seen that when a thread is inserted into the space between the .face 70 of the body 67 and the panel 52 it will engage across the cutting edge of the blade and be severed thereby.

' Each of the units 50 positions against the inner side of a modified portion of the wall 23 and is of the proper length to span such modified portion. Whena unit 50 is fitted against the inner side of a modified portion 39 of the wall 23 its two ends, that is the ends of the continuous bottom portion 51 will engage in the corners formed between the radial partitions at their outer ends the wall 23 and the unit is made of such size that it isffiexed or bowed to assume this position and when in such position, each of the tongues 42 will be disposed against the outer face of a post 57 of the unit and the central wide tongue 41 will position against the outer face of the panel 52. The side of the panel 52 opposite 'from the cutter holder 66 is located against the wide cent compartment. Also it will be seen that the tongue41,

covers the opening 65 so that there is no possibility cutting blade escaping from the recess 71.

When the unit 50 is positioned against the inner side of the modified portion 40 of the wall 23, the posts 57 and of the the central panel 52 will likewise be disposed against the inner sides of the tongues' 44 and Y45 as willbe readily apparent but in this location, the ends of the continuous bottom portion 51 of the unit will be engaged in the slots 48 provided by the lugs 47. Here also the cutter will be extended inwardly or will be located within the, adjacent compartment 33. t

' In order to maintain the units 50 in the described set positions on the inner sides of the modified portions of the wall 23 a suitable cement or other bonding material 75 may be employed to secure the tongues against the upstanding posts 57 and panel 52. Obviously thetongues will be of such width with respect to the posts 57 as not to interfere with the openings or passages 62, whereby to prevent the introduction of a thread into the thread guide.

' The tongues 42 and 45 in the modified portions of the wall 23 are of such height with respect to the heightof the unit 50 which is secured against the inner sides thereof that when the unit is fixed in position. the top edge of a tongue will abut the under side of a knob or button 63 and there will thus be formed a groove 76 in which a thread may be wedged when the holding means is employed in the use of the box. as hereinafter described. A suitable type of. lid or cover, generally designated 77 "may be provided for the box having a flange portion 78 which will slide down around'the lip'161of the box,

when the cover isin position thereon.

Where the box may be provided without a cover it an out turned flange portion 21 as illustrated.

In the use of the present sewing box, the spindles 24' V will haveplaced thereon spools of thread as hereinbefore stated and it will be noted upon reference to Fig. 1' that each of the units 50 has six spindles adjacent thereto and each unit is provided with six guide slots, one for each of the adjacent spools. This construction will, of course, be adopted where the box is designed to support twentyfour spools or, in other words, is provided with twentyfourspindles in the spool chamber. Obviously'the box may be made of larger or smaller size and the units 50 Will be modified accordingly as to the number of thread guides for use with the spools of thread.

As has been previously pointed out, while the illustration and description of the invention has been directed particularly to a box of circular form, boxes of other contour are contemplated such as boxes of elliptical form, for example, and the arrangement for the compartments may be also changed in such elliptically formed boxes and the number of spool holders and thread guiding, holding and cutting units may be reduced if desired. I

Referring particularly to the showing of the circular box, the different compartments 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 may be used to contain pins, needles, measuring tapes or any other of the numerous small items which are required for use in sewing. The central well 26 may be employed for holding a conventional circular pin cushion such as seamstresses use and the larger compartment 33 may be used for scissors, tweezers or other long implements. Figs. l2, 13, 14 and 15 illustrate the manner of using the units 50. In these figures, there is shown one spool of thread 80 from which is shown being drawn the thread 81. This thread is shown as being drawn through a guide slot 55 adjacent to the cutter 66 which, as preltongue '41 sothatthe cutter is thus disposed intheadja- Z viously stated, is on the inner side of the circular inner is: contemplated toform a' wall with suitable oppositely amaze wall 23 and, therefore, is, located tonne of the compart ments such, for example, as the compartmentj34 In removing the? thread desired, the user draws off a substantial length of the same through the guide slot and then, as shown in 'Fig. 12, the thread is carried up to and around the neck portion'64 of the overlying button 63. Oneor two loops of the threadare .made around theneck and, the thread is thus wedged in the groove 76.

As shown in the third figure, after the thread has been secured it iscarried across the under side of the cutter unit 66 and drawn up between the inclined'face79 and the adjacent side of the panel 52 into contact with the cutting edge 741 of the, cutter blade 74. The thread is therefore out between the hand H ofthe person drawing off the thread and the button'63 to'which-the thread is secured, and after being so cut there willsb'e left a short tail portion hanging from the holding button, which is designated 81a in Fig. 15, which hangs down in the compartment thereby facilitating the grasping of the thread when another length is desired for use. Because of the novel and efficient thread catch groove 76, in which the thread loop is wedged the thread will be firmly held while itis being drawn against .the cutting edge of the blade and therefore a sharp clean cut of the thread willalways be obtained. 'No frayed cuts or. thread ends will be obtained; 7 1 t s As will bereadily seen from "the foregoing, thereis provided by the present invention a new andnovel'sew ingjbox or sewingaccessory which not 'only provides a number of storagegcomp'artments for various item'sbut also provides ameans for holding a plurality of spools of thread in a neatorderly arrangement and als'oprovides a means whereby'the thread of any one ofthe spools can be easily identified or selected for use and conveniently drawn olf'to the length desired and severed without having to use scissors or other cutting implements. Also after the thread has been cut in the manner. described, a small portion is retained in .full'view and in a convenient position to be grasped so that an additional length of the thread can be easily, and. quickly drawn off and cut for continuing a sewing operation.

,The box or receptacle is preferably made of 'plast'ic as previously stated and it will be's een that the same with the thread holding and cutting units can'lbe readily molded and the box may also be formed of either clear plastic or colored plastic so vas to form an attractive article.

' Irclaimz l. A sewing accessory having a bottom and a side wall, an inner wall on said bottom and spaced from the side wall forming an inner compartment and anfiouter chamber, means in the outer comprising a receptable body formedfto provide a number of iipstaiiding'tong'uega thread guide, holder and" cutter unit comprising a 'strip'of material "se'cured against and 'al'ongth'e inner sides of said tongues, 'sai'd strip of "material being formed to provide a'relatively wide upstandingpanel and an upstanding post at one side jcdgethereof, an arm extending from said'side edgeof the panel toward the ,p'ostland terminating in a downwardly'extending bill spaced from the post, an arm extending from the top of j the, post away from the first in a}; sewing :box', said unit-comprising an elongatefiatother longitudinal half of the: strip body being lformed chamberifor supporting a plurality of spools of thread in V a position for withdrawal of thread a therefrom, means forming a part of said inner wall, providing a number of substantially vertical thread guide slots eachhav'ing a thread entrance adjacent to the lower endithereof, means at the topend of each, slot for securing a thread drawn through the respective slot from aspool, and means adjacent to the slots for cutting a thread, said cut ting means being spaced inwardly and laterally of said s ots.

2. The invention according to claim '1, wherein said cuttingrneans is positioned a substantial distance from the slots and securing means, said cutting means including a downwardly extending cutting edge, whereby a thread may be cut at a distance from the securing means arm and'terminating in adownwardly extending bill, said bills formingwith the adjacent edge of the panel and the adjacent post, respectively thread guideslots; a button joined to me top'edge of the strip of material by a short neckportion adjacent each guide. slot providing he thread holder, andlmeans for-supporting a cutting blade upon the side of: said panel opposite from said tongues.

4 The invention according to claim 3,,t'vherein "the'last meanscomprises a body, secured "tofthe said sideof the panel and havingaface portion spaced from the said side of the panel and inclined upwardly in acute angular relation therewithps'aid panel having anopening coitfronting s'aid face portion, said inclined, face portion hair ing aslot therein to receive a cutting blade through said opening, anda cutting blade in saidslot and having an edge portion lying across thear gular space between tlie said face portion and the panel. a i

ta -th ead guiding-, holding and s -Eg n: for use strip body having a continuous bottom portion and an upper portion formed to provide a plurality of transverselfy directed slots,'-means for introducing a thread into each slot at the end thereof adjacent to the longitudinal center of the body; a button joined by a short neck to the longitudinal edge of the strip body remote from said 6 bottom portion and 'adja'cent to each slot, andia cutter elementmounted on -the' inner side of-the bodyjadjacent tosaid longitudinal edge and spaced laterally. from said slots. i 6. A "thread gu'iding, holding'and cutting unit'for use on a sewing 'box; said unit comprising an elongatetflat strip body having a continuous longitudinal bottom portion approximately half the width of the strip body, the

being spaced from the adjacent post providing a passage leading to said entrance,,each of said posts having a short armfextending therefrom in the same direction as theadjacent first'mentioned arm, a bill extending from each post carried .arm in spaced relation to the adjacent post and forming therewith a thread guide slot and termi'- nating short of the said continuous portion forming an entrance to the guide slot, means carried on the edgetof the strip body in each arm portion thereof for facilitating securemeut of a thread, and means mounted on one side of the panel for cutting atthread. j a

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein the last stated means comprises :an elongate bodymember secured at one end to the said side of the. panel and having an inclined inner side face facing and forming an acute angle with the said side of the panel, the panel havingan opening therein'opposite to said inclined face,

' .said :body member having atrecess opening through said inclined face in line with said opening and a cutting blade in "said recess and having a cutting edge extending across said angle between the inclined face and said opening in 'thepanel.

8. A sewing accessory comprising a structure formed to provide a "receptacle embodying a bottom and spaced outer and inner wall portions, means for supporting a spool of thread between said wall portions, means adjacent the plane of the inner wall providing a thread guide, a thread cutting means supported by said last mentioned means and disposed inwardly and laterally of said thread guide, and securing means adjacent said thread guide for securing a length of thread drawn from a spool through the guide while being cut by the cutting means.

9. A sewing accessory comprising a box having a bottom and an upstanding side wall, an upstanding inner wall spaced from said side Wall forming an open top thread spool chamber, means in' said chamber for supporting a series of spools of thread in upright position, a thread guide means having a plurality of thread guides disposed inwardly of said spool supporting means and adjacent said inner wall, cutting means supported by said thread guide means disposed inwardly thereof and laterally of said thread guides for cutting a thread drawn from a spool through a thread guide, and securing means adjacent said thread guide and supported by said thread guide means for securing a thread drawn through a thread guide while being cut.

10. A sewing accessory comprising a receptacle embodying a bottom and a side wall, an upright inner wall in spaced relation with said sidewall forming an inner top chamber for receiving spools of thread, means in said chamber for retaining a number of spools of thread in upright position for easy withdrawal of thread therefrom, a thread cutter supported adjacent to and below the top of said inner wall on the side of the inner wall remote from the outer wall, a plurality of thread guides disposed laterally of said thread cutter, and means for retaining in a conveniently graspable position a terminal portion of thread drawn from a spool after severance of a drawn off length by the cutter.

11. A sewing accessory comprising a receptacle body having a bottom and a side wall, an upstanding inner wall in spaced relation with the side wall forming an open top thread spool chamber, upright pivot pins in said chamber for rotatably maintaining thread spools in upright position, means joined to said inner wall forming a a number of open top compartments, and guide means on the inner side of said inner wall in one of said compartments providing a thread guide for each spool and a means for securing an end of the thread after being drawn through its guide, and a cutting means on the inner side of said guide means and means for cutting a thread after connecting the same to said securing means.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said thread cutting means is disposed below the top edge of the inner wall.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said thread securing means comprises an integral button and neck portion about which the thread may be wound.

14. A sewing accessory comprising a receptacle having a bottom and a side wall, an inner wall on said bottom in spaced relation with the side wall forming an outer chamber and an inner compartment, means in the chamber for supporting a plurality of spools of thread in a position for withdrawal of thread therefrom, said inner wall having a modified portion of reduced height, an elongate flat strip of material disposed against and secured to said modified wall portion, said strip having a number of guide slots therein, means facilitating introduction of a thread into the slots, securing means comprising a button mounted on the top edge of the strip adjacent to each slot, and cutting means including a blade supported on the inner side of said strip and spaced laterally from said slots in a position to facilitate cutting a thread attached to the holder.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said blade includes a downwardly extending cutting edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 616,763 Belville et al Dec. 27, 1898 1,070,611 Jones Aug. 19, 1913 1,174,016 Kenyon Feb. 29, 1916 1,952,537 Castro-Barberena Mar. 27, 1934 2,673,669 Hawkins Mar. 30, 1954 

